 Highly classified documents detailing new security measures at Quebec's power corporation Hydro-Quebec were discovered on a bench in an east-end subway station, Radio-Canada reported Sunday.
The documents, totalling some 300 pages, were found recently in an abandoned file-folder by an employee of Radio-Canada, the CBC's French service.
The documents belong to a Hydro-Quebec security adviser, said Radio-Canada. | Well THAT sure inspires confidence |
The latest security breach at the Crown corporation follows a Radio-Canada report last year in which a camera crew managed to enter a hydro dam unimpeded, raising questions about security around the province's power installations.
Following the report in February 2005 Hydro-Quebec promised to revamp its security measures.
The documents discovered in the subway station detail Hydro's response to the security leaks discovered last year. Radio-Canada said one document contains explicit descriptions of alarm, video-surveillance and anti-sabotage systems. | words fail. well, actually they don't but this is a family site .... |
The papers also reveal temporary passwords to access various security systems and the home phone numbers of company executives, said Radio-Canada. | but don't worry, our staff will take extra precautions ... |
Another document details how to make employee identity cards, the report said. The provincially run company reportedly increased its security budget to $167 million annually, up from $133 million, in light of last year's breaches.
A Hydro-Quebec spokesperson said an employee working on the company's industrial security measures had their briefcase stolen while eating supper in a restaurant on March 10. He reported the theft to his superiors. The briefcase contained a computer and the documents found in the subway station.
The utility said it has taken steps to ensure a similar incident doesn't happen again. | Let's see ... THESE documents were steps to ensure a PREVIOUS breach didn't happen. |
``It's a very unfortunate situation,'' said spokesperson Marc-Andre Chamberland. ``As soon as the theft happened, we tightened security measures so that these types of documents, among others, will never leave Hydro-Quebec.'' Radio-Canada said that the owner of the briefcase immediately told his superiors about the theft. Hydro-Quebec said they contacted police and have opened their own investigation into the matter. However, Chamberland added there were no immediate plans to change to the company's new security plan. amazing.
|